Thames Valley Police will not be reimbursed £900k for Trump visit
The police and crime commissioner says the force has been 'short changed'
Thames Valley Police has been told it will not be reimbursed more than £900,000 that the force spent on policing US president Donald Trump's state visit to Windsor.
The region's police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber says the Home Officer has confirmed it will not reimburse the cost of officer time, a move he described as disappointing:
"We have been short-changed by over £900,000 and this decision is in contradiction to the position it has taken with the council; confirming that the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead will receive around £350,000 to cover its costs of hosting last year’s visits."
The Home Office will reimburse the additional costs of state visits such as hire of equipment.
The costs relate to the US president's visit to Windsor Castle in September, which TVP was responsible for policing and deployed officers from across the region.
Mr Barber said he would continue to 'push the issue':
"We know that state visits at Windsor are likely to continue to increase whilst Buckingham Palace undergoes refurbishment and these policing costs, with officers being taken away from their normal duties to police state visits of national significance, should not have to be picked up by local taxpayers.”
The Home Office says the money will be recovered through standard procedures.